Reset and Re-register Windows Spotlight in Windows 10

Bree · 07 Nov 2022

nylasf said:

I tried Shawn Brink's tutorial many many times and it did not work for me. My assets folder only have small file size images that are not Windows Spotlight images. I am not stuck with the Mountain Lake with the red backpack default picture.  I don't know what else to do.

Welcome to Ten Forums.

There are a couple of relevant notes in the Tutorial, check that this one does not apply in your case:

Windows Spotlight will not work if connected to a metered network (ethernet or wireless), and/or while in Battery Saver mode.

Second, make sure you have followed the instructions to the letter, in particular you must choose something other than Spotlight at Step3. If all was done correctly, then it might only be that a little patience is needed. See this second note from the tutorial.

Sometimes it may take 24 to 48 hours after resetting for Windows Spotlight to sync again.

nylasf · 07 Nov 2022

My laptop is not connected to a metered network (ethernet or wireless) and it is not on Battery Saver mode. I did choose something other than Spotlight at Step 3. Yes, I followed all the instructions and it has been over 48 hours already.

xlr8tx · 07 Nov 2022

From reading in other forums and talking to coworkers, I've gathered that Spotlight is a fragile and unreliable pos.

gabgab · 29 Aug 2023

hi,

Once again the spolight bug caught my PC, this time my laptop.

This time around i have a grey spotlight preview under settings, see attachment and the same image stuck on lockscreen. not the usual "standard" lake. Which is odd.

Nothing major happened here, did the usual win10 updates. Guess something broke.

Anything else to do? Usual delete assets folder, delete everything under settings and re-register in PowerShell/admin. Didn't come back, although i didn't wait 24-48 hours.

Reset and Re-register Windows Spotlight in Windows 10-lockscreenpreviewgrey.jpg

thanks

- - - Updated - - -

Found the problem, since i was on tethering, window set the connection as "metered" connection, which doesn't allow to download a spotlight picture.

How i found out? With this App Microsoft did "Dynamic Theme" - it's pretty nice.

https://www.microsoft.com/store/prod...?ocid=pdpshare

You can actually force the Lock Screen picture when nothing else works - and it pointed me into the direction of checking "metered" connection.

Then i've removed it, went with the stock Settings, Disabled Metered connection, and new spotlight picture appeared immediately (as i have previously done the usual housekeeping commands).

So nothing strange, those commands still work but this was stopping the download of the new photos.

Hope it helps somebody else too!

gabgab · 02 Dec 2023

It happened again - we have 3 Win10 PCs here now and they are all stuck on the lake image (again).

done the steps with the bat file and ironically, only on one pc which returned the red text error as shown in this post: Reset and Re-register Windows Spotlight in Windows 10

That one worked, other 2 still have the lake.

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EDIT: i've ran the batch command 4-5 times on those 2 pcs that didn't get it to work and now it works! guess it's a bit "stuck" LOL

dave56 · 25 Feb 2024

Microsoft must have done something because I tried the bat file again and now Window Spotlight works again.